Last December, the Baltimore County Council adopted Resolution No. 126-13 — the Complete Street policy. The new policy lays out plans for making county streets more accessible for walkers, bikers and motorists. Now, Baltimore County’s Complete Streets policy has been recognized as one of the nation’s best in a report issued by the National Complete Streets Coalition. The National Complete Streets Coalition is a public policy organization that advocates for the adoption of Complete Streets programs across the nation. In its latest report, The Best Complete Streets Policies of 2013, the Coalition ranks Baltimore County sixth among the 83 jurisdictions in the country with Complete Streets policies. “We’re pleased to receive national recognition for Baltimore County’s commitment to making our streets work for everyone — walkers, bicyclists, and drivers,” Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz said in a press release issued last Wednesday.

The Baltimore County Complete Streets policy was developed by the county’s Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory Committee. In a report issued in November 2012, the committee recommended a series of policy changes designed to make county roads more accessible to pedestrians and bicyclists. These policies included adding bike lanes and sidewalks to roadways across the county. In addition, the Complete Streets policy calls for the inclusion of bicycle parking at all publicly-accessible county government buildings, including libraries and community centers. For Councilman Tom Quirk, who sponsored the Complete Streets resolution, the policy is all about “building livable, sustainable communities where people can walk, bike, work, shop and play all within a few miles of where they live.” “This helps attract new home buyers and also keeps property values strong,” Quirk explained. “New bike paths and lanes and pedestrian-friendly roads add to the quality and safety of our neighborhoods.”